Making a Kwanzaa workbook
* Mexico: Students will make pinatas to burst during their reenactment of the traditional Posadas party.
* Sweden: Students will role-play Santa Lucia Day while wearing self made wreaths with candles.
* Africa: Students will eat their homemade Kinaras on self-made woven placemats, which they made out of traditional Kwanzaa colors.
* Israel: Students will make and play a game with their self-made dreydls. Students will make Latkes.
* America:Students will decorate a Christmas tree, make Christmas cards, and go Christmas caroling.
Kwanzaa is an African-American celebration. It was established in 1966 by Dr. Maulana “Ron” Karenga, a scholar and social activist.
Kwanzaa celebrates African harvest and is based on beliefs and values of traditional African customs. Kwanzaa is an annual celebration that begins on December 26 and lasts for seven days. Kwanzaa means “first fruits” in Swahili, the chosen language of Kwanzaa. The extra ‘a’ was added to give the name seven letters, on for each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Kwanzaa is the only original African-American holiday. It helps African-Americans look back at their roots. Kwanzaa is based on principles of African harvest rituals. Dr. Karenga adopted principles that were critical to building strong families and communities.
Stage 1 – Intro to the theme
10 mins tch<>stds
1. Elicit from the stds the different events that are celebrated at this time of year around the world. Get them to tell everyone what they know about them.
2. Put ‘ Kwanzaa’ on the board & elicit what celebration it is.
Stage 2 – Reading
10 mins tch<>stds
1. Set up the extensive, quick reading – the stds have 30 seconds to get as much as they can from the article – discuss how they might do this – skimming….
2. Task – 30 seconds – stick to your time limit.
3. Stds compare answers.
4. General feedback – stds tell you what they have.
5. Set more intensive task – see below – dictate or write the questions on the board.
6. Task – individual
7. Stds compare answers.
7. General feedback
1. How long does Kwanzaa last?
2. Why do you think it began?
3. What is the celebration based on?
3. Whose idea was it?
4. What is the celebration a ‘reaffirmation’ of?
Stage 3 – Vocabulary focus
10 mins tch<>stds
1. Ask the stds to work out a brief definition for all of the words in bold in the text.
2. Task – go round & monitor.
3. Stds compare answers – you might have dictionaries on hand for the stds to confirm their guesses.
4. General feedback.
Stage 4 – Response to the text – speaking
5-10 mins tch<>stds
1. General class discussion – why did African-Americans feel a need for Kwanzaa? Know of any other non-religious celebrations at this time of year?
Stage 5 – Follow up ideas
- there is another short text about the food at Kanzaa celebrations. This could be used as a running dictation for example.
- stds could think up another type of celebration for a group of people.
- roleplays – eg. traditional African-American family, parents wanting to celebrate Kwanzaa & rebellious children who don’t = conflict…
SEVEN DAYS, SEVEN PRINCIPLES, SEVEN SYMBOLS
Kwanzaa’s seven days of celebration, which begin on December 26 and end on January 1, focus on seven principles or goals: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani). The ultimate goal is that those principles, reviewed and reinforced during Kwanzaa, will become a way of life throughout the entire year.
The word Kwanzaa is derived from Swahili words meaning “first fruits of the harvest,” and the holiday includes many elements of traditional African harvest celebrations. The most important symbols of Kwanzaa are:
* the mishumaa — seven candles (3 red, 3 green, 1 black), standing for Kwanzaa’s seven principles
* the kinara — a candleholder, representing the stalk of corn from which the family grows
* the mkeka — a straw placemat, recalling tradition and history
* the mazao — a variety of fruit, symbolizing the harvest
* the vibunzi — an ear of corn for each child, celebrating the child’s potential
* the kikombe cha umoja — a cup of unity, commemorating one’s ancestors
* the zawadi — modest gifts, encouraging creativity, achievement, and success
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